KOCHI: The High Court on Monday issued a notice to the state government on a petition alleging misuse and dilution of the compassionate employment scheme for the dependents of government employees who died in harness.The petitioner, Neeraj Narayanan of Alappuzha, submitted by diluting the scheme, the government granted appointments to dependents of highly-rich employees.
Earlier, the eligibility stipulated under the scheme extended to dependents from families having an annual income of Rs 1.5 lakh. This was relaxed and the income limit was raised to Rs 6 lakh-Rs 8 lakh. The petitioner submitted the persons who hailed from poor families and qualified in a direct recruitment were being deprived of their right to get employment in service.